deskthority

matt3o wrote:

Muirium wrote:Welcome back to the old world. Now, about those stabs and o-rings you mailed to yourself…

and Bluetooth and HHKB

Sounds like quite a project!

I got my missing R4 SPH caps from 7bit today, so the stabs are keenly anticipated! And of course progress on the Bluetooth front.

Fiiiiiiiiinally completed the filing for my mini USB port. Instead of filing down the Amphenol socket, I filed the case to clean up some blemishes around the area anyway. So I'm just a homemade USB extender (and a few right sized bolts) away from the finished Mk.1 keyboard. What could possibly go wrong?

Well… some short circuits, clearly, as I'm typing on the board (with a mini USB cable going through the empty hole for the port again) and left shift is triggering the function layer every once in a while! The last time I did it up nice and tight, right function was firing its entire column so I bet it's that again, but on a different pin. Only happens when the case is screwed up tight, so I need to insulate the Teensy from the matrix better. But mostly there now!

Oh, and stabs.

Right lads, Matty wants to see your work. So here's where I'm at with the shiny one:

Sphericals, accept no substitute. Matteo's 2nd generation design, with its hidden bolts, really brings caps right to the fore. The look when you're using the keyboard is a wall of caps. Pure minimalism. About a kilogram of it, underneath!

Still shiny: Of course, still no stabs yet either. And row 1 wasn't quite complete when I shot those. Here it is now: And the side view, of the compartment for Bluetooth ambitions to come: Space Saver, achieved! Shinier on the underside than anyone sensible likes theirs on the top. It's truly my kind of keyboard! It's currently my main one, in fact, thanks to a bit of Soarer Inside. I'm really thoroughly chuffed with how it's turned out, and owe a deep thanks to Matt3o once again. Magnifico!

Muirium f*&!^*g nominated!

really great board Mr. Muir! Looking forward to seeing it on Round 5

Soon I'll post the HHFox

It's been a long fox coming. Expectations are high!

Muirium that looks absolutely amazing. Congratulations!

Also, nice SSK, I'm jealous I finally got my hands on an M and I'm loving it.

Thanks. We can exchange jealousy: I'm still really wowed by that CNC case you made.

So, so, so shiny! I'm thoroughly one-dimensional that way. More shine!

As for SSKs, keep an eye on Tinnie. He's where mine came from. I bet it's not the last.

I am well aware of tin's amazing recent finds. I was (and still am) out of cash, so unfortunately wasn't able to pick one up. Let's hope he continues to find more when I do have the funds

HHFox sneak pick



More info here

Looks awesome, Muirium! It's great to see how the bottom compartment turned out. That's a hell of a keyboard. It'll be interesting to see how your bluetooth efforts go. Do you think it'll need an external antenna, or a window (similar to the ipad)? Either way the compartment is cool to have for packing in moar electronics.

Moar electronics indeed!

As a layered body, I've got the option to swap out one of the metal ones for a layer of acrylic, or to take out a section at the back for an RF window. Matt3o marked one of the layers "Don't Use!" in my parcel, and right enough I haven't needed it. That's the lucky spare I can mod to try out a window, so I can always abort and go back to my all-steel USB only body if I need to.

But that homemade PCB he's showing off today, technology has marched ahead of me and my naked diodes!

Finally decided on switches. Swapped the springs to 62g and lubed them all up with a mix of 201 and 103 which took me most of yesterday. Dressed it up with some caps to test if some of the switches was badly lubed... and just because. I found the Nixdorf Clear Tops was rather scratchy compared to the lubed blacks, so they have been greased as well.
Overall I am pretty satisfied, I just need to file a bit more of the spacebar stab holes before I can start wiring it all up.

lovely wall of caps, broad!

I'm really glad this workshop turned out so well! congrats to everybody. If there ever be interest I'm available at organizing more.

Ah, Nixdorf vintage blacks. Cherry's one and only truly top rate linear switch. Quite what you're up to with a clicky return meanwhile I've no idea!

Oh, Broadmonkey, how much filing did you have to do to get the Cherry stabs to work in the end?

I'm probably in for another round in a while. (I'll have caps to spare by then.) A function keyless TKL seems to be what I have in mind. Mirror steel or aluminium? Hmm…

Yeah, just like I have different profiled keycaps depending on row, I have different switches depending on function. I have clicky on Esc and Enter since I like to slam those! Capslock uses Clear and Brown on WIN. But what you can't see is that I have also different springs on some of the keys, e.g. WASD is not 62g but springs from MX Red switches.
This is how my Keycool (dusty) is regarding switches and I love it! Unfortunately I have lent it to a friend, so I can't use the brown switches from it, otherwise I would have gone for the same switch layout.

I didn't change to Cherry PCB mounted stabilizers, as that could easily go wrong and destroy the plate. I just noticed the spacebar still hits the stabs on the way down, just enough to make it feel scratchy, so that is what I have to fix.

Seeing all those nice results, I would definitely join another round, when it would happen somewhen after christmas

yeah, a second Round to start the next year !

Highly recommended! It was a great result this year.

I suggest planning your layouts now, so you know exactly what you want when the project starts. Be sure to get the right caps, and if you're ordering switches from 7bit, the earlier the better! Being stuck waiting on components is no fun.

Oh, speaking of which, stabs?

A lot of Tipro caps and some MX already waiting in frozen bags I have an SVG file almost ready, just some small changes to do. But I also have the prototype of a 3D plate with some folding to do (origami style) this will be tricky but I cant start before my SPH pack is delivered to calculate angles and place needed (with Cherry or Tipro keys, it wont certainly fit after for SA profile even if I let some extra space)

I envision Round 5 to be delivered August 2015... so that might be the right moment for a second round

Muir: you need stabs?

So glad I bought those Round 4 SPHs off you, Matt, or I'd be completely hosed! No DSA Dolch yet either.

matt3o wrote:I envision Round 5 to be delivered August 2015... so that might be the right moment for a second round

As it goes I may have no Honey ordered at all, so I'll buy a Kindle (Black Friday, isn't it ?)

Riumuir wrote:So glad I bought those Round 4 SPHs off you, Matt, or I'd be completely hosed! No DSA Dolch yet either.

It seems they have issues in production as with the stepped capslock. It was wise to cancel my order and wait for my blank DSA set that I can directly buy on SP webshop and in PBT.

DSA Dolch is such a gorgeous set. I think it's worth waiting. At this point I think it will be shipped not earlier than March 2014.

matt3o wrote:Muir: you need stabs?

Sure do! What you got?

Muirium wrote:

matt3o wrote:Muir: you need stabs?

Sure do! What you got?

all costar, 2u and 6.25u (2u are good for up to 2.75u of course, maybe even 3u actually). No way to get cherry mx stabs, sorry (even though I don't like them so...)

My plate is all Costar so that's fine by me. One 6.25 and two little ones required, please! (Might be after more so I've spares for the next one, depending on your stock.)

do I have anything else you needed? I don't remember if I was holding something for you (except for the dsa dolch).

The only other stuff is the gear for Bluetooth, where I'm following your lead.

As for DSA Dolch I joined your order for the main kit and the ISO kit (via the second GB) for extras like my HHKB style keys. And I'd love an LED windowed cap or two if you can spare them, for a layer lock light.

Vierax wrote:I also have the prototype of a 3D plate with some folding to do (origami style) this will be tricky but I cant start before my SPH pack is delivered to calculate angles and place needed (with Cherry or Tipro keys, it wont certainly fit after for SA profile even if I let some extra space)

Origami? On a plate? I'm getting chills. What!? Paint me intrigued.

One of my favourite things about IBMs is their curved backplate. It makes caps swappable across all rows, while keeping a nice curved top surface for typing. Are you up to something ever so cunning to make your own version of that?

SA's are huge. Looking at my 60% now, there's slender space to tilt the rows together. But DSA, and flat Tipro caps are a whole other story. You could well be onto something.

Muirium wrote:

Vierax wrote:I also have the prototype of a 3D plate with some folding to do (origami style) this will be tricky but I cant start before my SPH pack is delivered to calculate angles and place needed (with Cherry or Tipro keys, it wont certainly fit after for SA profile even if I let some extra space)

Origami? On a plate? I'm getting chills. What!? Paint me intrigued.

One of my favourite things about IBMs is their curved backplate. It makes caps swappable across all rows, while keeping a nice curved top surface for typing. Are you up to something ever so cunning to make your own version of that?

The folding thing is mainly for the cardboard prototype. The curved plate is a good idea but must be difficult to adapt to my design (reminder of the 2D) The goal is to raise the four columns containing the 2unit keys to 90°, the function row to 30° (maybe less, I have to test it) and more tricky to make for each thumb a progressive 0 to 90° raising and keeping the 90° turning, something like a bowl form but with facets. If I add the IBM curve to all of this, I shall be not far from Jeff's Cladeon

SA's are huge. Looking at my 60% now, there's slender space to tilt the rows together. But DSA, and flat Tipro caps are a whole other story. You could well be onto something.

It could be difficult to deal with SA since there are multiple rows and it's hard to find a full row3 set with legends even in qwerty. Also between the Commando profile (used now as a standard on GH) and 7bit's there is a lot of differences so you're right, I should forget SA and deal with DSA (I really don't like Tipro's : they're really too flat to be ergonomic for a typist)
Waiting for a dye-subbed bépo set… maybe one day for the moment some blanks should be enough.